2026 NFL Draft Thread

[Longgone]

10 minutes ago, 1984Echoes said:

Then who is the 2nd LB'er?

The hybrid safety-LB'er you mentioned earlier?

I don't think we know yet.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

 

You can forget drafting Fano or Freeling or Miller if we draft a tackle. This Oregon kid tore his ACL. 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

I did a mock draft today using the ESPN NFL Mock Draft simulator. I tried to balance out what I wanted the team to do and what I felt Brad, Dan, and the front office would do. I did no trades in this mock and used every pick we had. I anticipate we will be trading up several times in the draft, but this one I did not.

1st: Monroe Freeling/T-Georgia

2nd: Gave Jacas/DE-Edge-Illinois

4th: Toriano Pride Jr./CB-Missouri

4th: Roman Hemby/RB-Indiana

 5th: Louis Moore/S-Indiana

6th: Scooby Williams/DT-Texas A&M

6th: Bauer Sharp/TE-LSU

6th: Collin Wright/CB-Stanford

7th: Harrison Wallace III/WR-Ole Miss

[Motown Bombers]

I like how Brad Holmes drafted one guy who tore an ACL (The pick worked out BTW) and that’s now his thing. 

[MichiganCardinal]

28 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

I like how Brad Holmes drafted one guy who tore an ACL (The pick worked out BTW) and that’s now his thing. 

He’s batting .500 if you include Hooker. But I agree.

[Motown Bombers]

4 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

He’s batting .500 if you include Hooker. But I agree.

I forgot about Hooker. The injury though isn’t why Hooker failed. 

[CMRivdogs]

Hooker was one of those $2 lottery tickets. We know how they usually play out.

I’d be ok with another one in the 6th or seventh round. Like one the guy from Penn State or Illinois 

[1984Echoes]

1 hour ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

... I did no trades in this mock and used every pick ...

1st: Monroe Freeling/T-Georgia

2nd: Gave Jacas/DE-Edge-Illinois

...

I did a PFF mock and Freeling was selected two picks before the Lions so... I decided to trade whenever it made sense, either down, or to move up if I were after a player...

So I ended up trading down twice in the 1st, and... I don't remember the rest of my trades but... I ended up with pick #28 in the 1st round, two 2nds, three 4ths, two 5ths, and one 6th... these were my selections:

1. 28	Blake Miller, RT		9.97 RAS, 6' 6" 315 #'s				Extremely athletic both pass-block and run-block
2. 50	E. McNeil-Warren, S		6' 3" 210, 4.52 40				Brian Branch 2.0
2. 51	Zion Young, DE		6' 6" 265, 4.70				Developmental multi-skilled DE. Can start in a rotation...
4. 118	Max Klare, TE		6' 4.5" 245, 4.66				Excellent receiver and good blocking skills
4. 119	Eli Raredon, TE		6' 7" 250, 4.62				Massive blocking TE with good receiving skills
4. 128	Devin Moore, CB		6' 3" 200, 4.50				Skilled at press and zone, can cover big WR's/ TE's/ etc.
5. 157	Daylen Everette, CB		6' 1" 196, 4.38				Developmental CB with excellent athletic traits.
5. 181	Adam Randall, RB		6' 3" 232, 4.50				Former WR with top explosiveness, receiving skills, pass-blocking, etc… STEAL?!
6. 189	Kendal Daniels, LB/Edge		6' 5" 242, 4.76				Rush and/or Coverage LB'er but… slow?

 

PS: I could have picked a better speed-rusher off the edge in the 5th round, but decided to double up on big, fast CB's...

[1984Echoes]

Just now, CMRivdogs said:

Hooker was one of those $2 lottery tickets. We know how they usually play out.

I’d be ok with another one in the 6th or seventh round. Like one the guy from Penn State or Illinois 

I wouldn't mind another lottery shot at a backup QB... 

I don't think it's the best idea to keep bringing Teddy B back.

As long as it's a 4th rounder or later.

Isn't Carson Beck projected around the 4th round? And he's similar to Goff in size and physical attributes and accuracy?

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Lions have drafted several players with injury histories that include or go beyond just an ACL injury. I am talking about injuries that kept the player out at least half a season or more in college and/or had multiple injuries during their career. Three of the players they drafted did have ACL injuries in college. They drafted the following players who had some sort of injury history in college.

Antoine Green - Broken leg and collar bone

Christian Mahogany - ACL

Hendon Hooker - ACL

Ennis Rakestraw - ACL and shoulder

Josh Paschal - Cancer (no disrespect intended, but it is a risk)

Levi Onwuzurike - Back

Mekhi Wingo - Undisclosed injury

Miles Fraizer - Knee

[Jason_R]

2 hours ago, CMRivdogs said:

Hooker was one of those $2 lottery tickets. We know how they usually play out.

I’d be ok with another one in the 6th or seventh round. Like one the guy from Penn State or Illinois 

Hooker was the 68th overall pick. That’s more like a $100 lottery pick. 

[Jason_R]

Pat Kirwan from Sirius XM NFL Radio had Freeling for Detroit’s pick in their mock draft today. 

[1984Echoes]

That would be an excellent get if they could nab Freeling at #17... (IMO).

[Cruzer1]

[Cruzer1]

3 minutes ago, Cruzer1 said:

I've done a lot of mocks on this site, and I use the consensus mock of all the sites they cover. This is my favorite mock by far. I was offered a good deal to move down in the first, but Freeling was available, and he was a priority. Trading down six spots in the 2nd put me in a great spot, and I love Rodriguez, and I'm sure the Lions do, too. I really like Klein, and getting Capeheart in the 7th was a robbery, and I don't expect he'll be available in the real draft.

[RedRamage]

On 4/3/2026 at 3:20 PM, Mr.TaterSalad said:

 

You can forget drafting Fano or Freeling or Miller if we draft a tackle. This Oregon kid tore his ACL. 

Brad Holmes is getting excited!

 

[RedRamage]

On 4/3/2026 at 4:03 PM, Motown Bombers said:

I like how Brad Holmes drafted one guy who tore an ACL (The pick worked out BTW) and that’s now his thing. 

Holmes has a history of taking flyers on guys who were injured or had regular injuries in the past

Draftees:
Jameson Williams - Torn ACL
Hender Hooker - Torn ACL
Ennis Rakestraw - Sports hernia surgery
James Mitches - Knee/Leg injury
Levi Onwuzurike - Chronic back issues
Josh Paschal - Leg injury in his final college season

Free agents:
Emmanuel Moseley (x2)
Marcus Davenport
DJ Chark
Isaiah Pacheco

Even with more limited success of late in the draft, I don't think anyone is seriously questioning Holmes skill as GM. But I think it's fair to say that he has a history to looking to catch lightning in a bottle with guys who are injured. Beyond all that, I think it was mostly intended as a joke.

[MichiganCardinal]

18 minutes ago, RedRamage said:

Holmes has a history of taking flyers on guys who were injured or had regular injuries in the past

Draftees:
Jameson Williams - Torn ACL
Hender Hooker - Torn ACL
Ennis Rakestraw - Sports hernia surgery
James Mitches - Knee/Leg injury
Levi Onwuzurike - Chronic back issues
Josh Paschal - Leg injury in his final college season

Free agents:
Emmanuel Moseley (x2)
Marcus Davenport
DJ Chark
Isaiah Pacheco

Even with more limited success of late in the draft, I don't think anyone is seriously questioning Holmes skill as GM. But I think it's fair to say that he has a history to looking to catch lightning in a bottle with guys who are injured. Beyond all that, I think it was mostly intended as a joke.

If the goal is to find football players in their young 20s who have not suffered a serious injury in the prior ten years while playing a violent game at a high level, you're going to struggle to succeed. Double that if the goal is to find a cheap free agent who has played several years of professional football into their mid- to late-20s.

I would also push back on at least some of these. Jamo has been a success. Chark was a success. Rakestraw's hernia happened with the Lions. He started every game his junior year at Missouri, and missed four his senior year due to a groin injury that to my knowledge has not reoccurred. Mitchell was a 5th round pick. Levi didn't miss a game at Washington. Paschal missed one game in his last three years at Kentucky.

To the extent that Holmes may be a little more willing to take a high-ceiling guy with some injury concerns, I agree. But I don't think it's that pronounced.

[RedRamage]

4 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

To the extent that Holmes may be a little more willing to take a high-ceiling guy with some injury concerns, I agree. But I don't think it's that pronounced.

For the record, I'm NOT trying to dumb on Holmes here. I think he is definitely more willing to flyers on these guys and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Generally speaking he's spending fewer assets to get them so, over all, I think it's probably work the risk.

I'm just saying that I feel there's enough to a history here that a joke about a guy in the draft being more attractive to Holmes because he has an injury is on point.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

14 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

He started every game his junior year at Missouri, and missed four his senior year due to a groin injury that to my knowledge has not reoccurred.

Rakestraw tore his ACL at Missouri too, so it wasn't just the sports hernia injury that he had.

Edited 3 hours ago by Mr.TaterSalad

[Motown Bombers]

1 hour ago, MichiganCardinal said:

If the goal is to find football players in their young 20s who have not suffered a serious injury in the prior ten years while playing a violent game at a high level, you're going to struggle to succeed. Double that if the goal is to find a cheap free agent who has played several years of professional football into their mid- to late-20s.

I would also push back on at least some of these. Jamo has been a success. Chark was a success. Rakestraw's hernia happened with the Lions. He started every game his junior year at Missouri, and missed four his senior year due to a groin injury that to my knowledge has not reoccurred. Mitchell was a 5th round pick. Levi didn't miss a game at Washington. Paschal missed one game in his last three years at Kentucky.

To the extent that Holmes may be a little more willing to take a high-ceiling guy with some injury concerns, I agree. But I don't think it's that pronounced.

He also left off Anzalone who was a scrap heap pickup because of his injuries with the Saints. 

[MichiganCardinal]

1 hour ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Rakestraw tore his ACL at Missouri too, so it wasn't just the sports hernia injury that he had.

I did forget about this one. Rakestraw may have had more warning signs that was realized. I don't remember injuries being a major red flag of his in the draft process.

[Cruzer1]

The Lions #1 need by far is a tackle. They're not easy to find, especially past the first round.

[Hongbit]

There’s a decent chance that pick 17 comes around and the best player on their board is Penn State G Vega Ioane.   He’s being touted as one of the best G prospects in a number of years.   Plays both run and pass very well. 

I like the idea of plugging him in next to Sewell at LG, Mays at C, Ratledge at RG.  That’s a great young line and you can have Borom hold it down at RT for a year.  That’s a huge, huge improvement and created great depth with Mahogany, Frazier, Scruggs, and Sorsdal. 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

I want an OT  in the first round. I want this line to get back to being the elite offensive line it was back from 2022-2024. I also think they very well COULD draft an OT in the first round. But could is different than will. I maintain that I think Brad and Dan's plan is to take the best player available on their board, who fits what they are looking for, at a position of relative need. Which means I don't think it is certain they will draft an OT in the first round. They aren't going to reach for an OT just to take one. They also aren't doing something absurd like ranking Ty Simpson or Jeremiah Love on their board and drafting a QB or a RB either. I do believe they will have certain position groups (OT, DE, DT, LB, CB, S) that they look at as core needs and then rank the players from there.

Once they do put their final big board together and rank those players, I think like always, they're going to stick to their board and not reach on a player just for the sake of filling a position need. Some Lions fans seem to think it is an open and shut case that they will take an OT and that other positions groups are absolutely out of the question. Myself and others aren't so certain about that being the case. If they have a DE, DT, LB, CB, S on their board that they like more and have rated higher than one of the available OT prospects, they will take their player over the OT. They are going to draft for the talent, scheme, and culture fit they like over just taking an OT because we think they need one.

Based on what Brad has said thus far this offseason I do think they look at Larry Borom as their starting RT. Maybe that's all just a deflection and Brad has to say that so as not to tip his draft had or whatever. Though, I don't see how Brad saying anything one way or the other about Borom at all tops his draft hand. But some here seem to think it does. But I think Brad meant what he said about Borom and that it is highly probable he ends up their starting RT and they don't draft one in the first round.

Again, I want them to draft a tackle in the worst way. I want a Monore Freeling, Blake Miller, or Caleb Lomu. But if they have a Caleb Downs, Mansoor Delane, Kendrick Faulk, Zion Young, Jacob Rodriguez, whoever ranked ahead of a OT prospect who is available when they pick, I think they could draft that player from that particular position group.